


KitKats, Vodka, and Other Important Ingredients

by EzzyDean



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 05:52:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12977439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: The thing Keiji had discovered years ago about spells, and life in general but that’s a completely different story, is that things go wrong.  Often faster and in more bizarre ways than you would imagine possible and sometimes in ways that you don't even realize until they're staring you in the face and you're looking back and trying to figure out how exactly you made it to that point in your life.(aka that magic au where Keiji is a salty witch who will basically do any spell he is given so long as you can pay the price: the spell's ingredients and a bribe of vodka, KitKats, or smoothies)





	1. Chapter 1

“And to finish it I’m going to need chicken blood, salt, five candles, and a bottle of vodka.”

 

“Vodka?  For the spell?”

 

“No.  That’s just to make me feel better about ripping a hole in the universe.”

 

The man standing in his entryway stared at Keiji for a long moment looking for all the world like he was about to start arguing the logistics of how the spell would in no way rip a hole in the universe - which Keiji would easily counter with a cool ‘well if you know so much why don’t you do it your damn self’ and shut the door in his face - when he suddenly deflated and looked at the list in his hand.

 

“Okay but?  Where do you even get chicken blood?  It’s not like you can just run down to the corner market for it.”

 

“Where do I get it?  From you.  It’s your problem not mine.  You bring me the ingredients I asked for.  I do the spell.  You don’t.  I go back to watching Netflix in my underwear.”

 

“Netflix.”  The man looked at him like he wasn’t quite sure if Keiji was joking or not.  “In your underwear.”

 

“Yeah.  I’m like six seasons in on Supernatural and plan on moving on to the X-Files after I catch up.”  Keiji rubbed his nose and nodded down at the list.  “We’ve both got a lot of work to do.  Better hit that corner market before it closes.  No ingredients, no help from me.”

 

He ushered the man out of his home and locked the door.  The echo of the deadbolt snicking shut made him smile and let calmness ease into his bones.

 

—

 

“You know,” Keiji drawled as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes a few days later, “I had intended - if you came back that is - on asking just  _ why  _ you wanted me to rip a hole in the universe.  But then after thinking a moment and considering the possible political and criminal backlash, well, common sense told me I was better off not knowing the why of it.”

 

The man thought about it and then shrugged.

 

“I mean yeah that’s a reasonable way to look at it.”  He held out a cloth shopping bag in one hand and a paper bag in the other.  “Ingredients,” he explained and shook the cloth bag lightly.  “Bribes.”  He shook the paper bag.  “Plural.”

 

Keiji took the bags and led the way to the kitchen.

 

“Is there a time frame for - ooh KitKats,” he paused in the process of digging through the bribe bag to eye the man speculatively.

 

“I do my research.”

 

Keiji pulled out a stack of various flavors of KitKats and two large bottles of his favorite expensive vodka.

 

“Apparently.  So is there a time frame for this whole ripping a hole in the universe thing?  And are you wanting to be a part of it or just around to watch the chaos unfolding as it happens?”

 

“Well watching chaos unfold is kinda my thing.  But if you need someone to be a part of it my best friend would love to be a willing sacrifice.”

 

Keiji shrugged.  “So long as you clean up any mess it works for me.”

 

—

 

Keiji looked at their matching shirts:  _ Best Friends Make The Best Sacrifices _ .  Then he looked at their matching grins and back at the shirts.  Then he shrugged and led them to his office in the back of his house.

 

He explained the basic rules he had for observation and participation of spells, including which door was the bathroom and which was the linen closet and that they had better remember the difference even in a state of blind panic because if he had to replace all his towels and spare bedding they would be getting a bill.  No one could ever accuse him of not learning from his mistakes.

 

“So if you could just sit right here at this corner of the circle-”

 

“Wait why me?” asked the dark haired man.

 

“You are the willing sacrifice right?”

 

The man sucked in a shocked breath.  “Makki!”

 

“What?” asked the man who had been the one to approach Keiji.  He really hoped one of them was a willing sacrifice or things were going to be complicated.  He’d really rather not deal with dragging Kuroo in for this.  Kuroo was enough of a pain in the ass when Keiji didn’t need him.  Asking for help just made him about fifty times worse.

 

“I’m the sacrifice?  I thought you were gonna be the sacrifice.”

 

“I never said I was gonna be it.”

 

They started bickering.  Keiji ignored them to finish setting up the last pieces of his spell.  It was too late to back out now.

 

“Fine okay whatever.  I’ll be the willing sacrifice.”  The dark haired man stabbed the other in the chest with his finger.  “But you’re doing it next time.”

 

Keiji could be concerned that they were talking about this like they sacrificed each other casually every other week.  Maybe they did.  But that was none of his business.  He had already gotten paid for this spell, technically, so he was going to do it, sacrifice or not, and whatever happened, happened.

 

“Deal.”

 

The dark haired man finally settled where he was supposed to.  Keiji took one last look to make sure everything was where it needed to be.  Once he was satisfied he took two long swallows of his vodka and put the bottle on the floor between his feet just in case.

 

A few seconds later he could feel the telltale warmth seeping through his body and the tingling numbness in his fingers signaling both the vodka and his magic hard at work.  He took a deep breath, met the bright eyes of the cheerful sacrifice, and set about ripping a hole in the universe.

 

—

 

Ripping a hole in the universe really wasn’t as hard as one might think.  It was tricky if you cared too much about the universe as a whole.  If you were too empathetic or too sympathetic it was nearly impossible.  You needed to have a carefully crafted and balanced sense of detachment from life as a whole to be able to even attempt it successfully.  A lot of power in the caster and a powerful willing sacrifice certainly made things easier as well.

  
  


The sky was a nice shade of bruised gray, like there was a very ill storm moving in, and everything outside looked off.  Kind of like someone was forced to color the world with a box of discount crayons that just didn’t quite have the right amount of pigment and were a little too waxy to really color properly.

 

Everything inside was just shy of painfully vivid.  Bright colors pressing against sharp edges and nonexistent shadows slicing into surfaces.

 

The hole itself was a crisp, crackling thing.  Lightning and broken glass.  Terra cotta planters shattering against cement.  Bamboo windchimes echoing hollowly.

 

Keiji had poked holes in the universe before.  Tugged away corners that never quite fit right.  Peeked through slits in the world.

 

He’d never torn into it like this.  He’d never had the power to do so.

 

He stared at the lump that was left of the willing sacrifice.  The other man, Makki, laughed gleefully and actually clapped his hands together a few times.

 

“That is so awesome.”  He sidled up to the hole and peered inside.  “Can I take it with me?”

 

“You want to take the hole in the universe with you?”  Makki nodded eagerly.  The hole made a noise that reminded Keiji too much of nails on a chalkboard.  “You know what?  Why not.”  He grabbed the bottle of vodka between his feet and took another swig.  His fingers had been getting a little cold and he had a feeling he would be going through the whole bottle by the end of the day.  He shook hands with the man and felt the yank in his bones as ownership of the hole transferred.  “Do whatever you want with it.”

 

He watched in confusion as Makki bent over his friend, or what was left of him, and flicked his forehead.

 

“Yo Mattsun.  You dead?”

 

“Fuck that hurt more than I remember,” the lump garbled back.  Makki huffed out a laugh and pressed his hand to Mattsun’s chest.  Keiji could only watch, mouth hanging open in surprise, as Makki’s hand and arm started to glow and sink into Mattsun’s chest and everything in the room started to dim and twist and pulse in strange ways.  Mattsun gasped and sat up, Makki’s arm still in his chest.  His eyes flew open - dark and not alive but not dead either, they were an abyss, a void, an eddy of nothingness -  and he stared straight at Keiji.

 

Keiji stared back.

 

His ears popped suddenly and Mattsun grinned at him and hopped to his feet.

 

“Thanks for all your help!”  Mattsun shook Keiji’s hand and he stared at the place where he had seen Makki’s hand disappear.  He looked at Makki, still a little stunned, and the man waved at him.

 

They let themselves out and Keiji took another long, long drink from his bottle.

 

He had just torn a hole in the universe and watched it, literally, be shoved into someone’s chest.

 

There was a very good chance he was about to have a very long week.


	2. Chapter 2

Daichi wasn’t really one to stare blankly when faced with strange news.  He had lived with Suga for five years.  He was currently rooming with Ryuu.  There was very little that could faze him enough to knock his mind off center enough that he stopped functioning for a moment.  He was a trained magical medical professional with a specialty in emergencies and trauma.  Thinking on his feet was kind of a necessity for his line of work.

 

But Hajime’s words over the phone had him pretty well stunned.

 

“Care to repeat that?”

 

Hajime snarled at him and Daichi considered telling him that the attitude wasn’t necessary.  Then he remembered this man was a law officer who had lived with Oikawa, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki for the last decade.  The attitude was probably a defense mechanism of some kind and telling him off for it would likely get Daichi shot in the ass the next time he saw Hajime.  Heaven knew Hajime already had enough reasons to want to shoot Daichi in the ass without Daichi giving him more.

 

“Some asshole apparently ripped a hole in the universe and then just, just, just  _ gave it _ to Makki.  And then Makki immediately shoved it in Mattsun’s chest.  And now one of the Chaos Twins is literally a walking hole in the universe.”

 

“Who the hell ripped a hole in the universe?”

 

“Whatever dumbass Makki bribed to do it.  Weren’t you listening?”

 

“No.  I mean yes I was listening.  But I also mean who the hell has the kind of power to rip a hole in the universe stable enough to transfer possession?”

 

Hajime’s voice pulled away a little as he yelled “Oi Asshole One who did the spell?”  

 

There was some yelling back and forth that Daichi tuned out as he considered the situation.  He was pretty sure that Matsukawa would be fine even with the hole in the universe in his chest.  Tricksters tended to be hardy things with bodies that could take a lot of punishment and come back just as good as new.  What he was more concerned about was someone in the area being powerful enough to rip a hole in the universe stable enough to transfer to Hanamaki and then Matsukawa and still be functional and not distorting time and all sorts of other stuff badly enough to be making the news.

 

“Okay so.”  Hajime’s voice snapped Daichi out of his thoughts.  “Apparently it was some hedge witch named Akaashi.  Which I’ve never heard of him so despite obviously being powerful he’s not a known nuisance.  And also apparently Mattsun was a sacrifice which helped boost the spell but he said this Akaashi guy barely took maybe a third of his power to do it.  And also he didn’t ask for payment just for them to provide the materials - which I knew I should have been suspicious when Makki started asking about chicken blood - and for a bottle of vodka.  Oh and also-”

 

“That’s like three and also’s how much more can there be?  Do I even want to know?”

 

“He acted like a hole in the universe was a cake walk and just gave it to Makki like it was an extra piece of candy.  And also I am a little stressed right now so you can just take your attitude and shove it.”

 

“Shall I stop by?  Then I can shove it in the hole in Mattsun’s chest.”

 

There was a long pause.  Then Hajime took a deep breath.

 

“You know what?  I am going to hang up.  Then I am calling Suga.  Good luck.”

 

Daichi choked on his breath and tried to get Hajime to wait but the telltale click of the call ending filled his ear.

 

Thirty seconds later Suga’s phone rang.  Daichi wondered if it was too late to accept that offer to join that exchange program.  Maybe he could go practice his magical medicine in Sweden or something.

 

—

 

“We have to get him to join us Daichi.”  Suga’s tone left no room for argument.

 

Daichi argued anyway.

 

“Why?  Why do we need more chaos in this place?  Aren’t Shouyou and Ryuu and Tadashi and Hisashi enough of handful?”

 

Suga pursed his lips and put one hand on his hip.  Daichi whined.  It was his lecture pose.

 

Suga opened his mouth and Daichi put up his hand.

 

“If I just say ‘sure okay do what you want’ can I skip the lecture?”  Suga stared at him.  “I’m just not sure this is the place for what is surely a powerful hedge witch.  I mean.  There’s usually a good reason for a hedge witch to be running solo and  that’s what I’m really concerned about.  I just don’t want anyone getting in over their heads.”

 

Suga’s stance dropped out of lecture mode.  Daichi gave himself a mental pat on the back for averting that particular crisis.

 

“You do make a good point.  So we’d have to be sure to check into him really well but Hajime already said that he had never heard of this guy before so if nothing else it’s doubtful that they’re a troublemaker.  I just-” Suga sighed and bit his lip.  “I just think that if this guy is as powerful a hedge witch as Hajime makes it seem and he’s spent this long under the radar and out of trouble then maybe he might have a few tricks he could show Shouyou and Tobio and Lev in terms of control.  I’m starting to hit my limit for ideas on how to help them.”

 

Any retort Daichi may have had sank out of mind at Suga’s admission.  He pulled Suga into a hug and dug his chin into Suga’s shoulder.

 

“You’ve done an excellent job with them and if you think this Akaashi guy might be a help we will do whatever we can to try to get him to join us.”

 

“Thank you Daichi.”


	3. Chapter 3

Keiji stared down at the person in front of him.  He wasn’t entirely sure what his face was showing at that moment - that was definitely the last time he accepted faerie moonshine from someone who probably barely understood what a faerie was, hell he still couldn’t feel all the muscles in his face a week later - but he knew there was no way his face was showing anything that should be cause for that large of a smile to be on anyone’s face.  Except for maybe Kuroo’s.  But Kuroo was an asshole.  This person didn’t seem like one from a first glance.  They just kept smiling up at him, shock of orange-red hair poking out from under their ball cap, bright brown eyes twinkling with merriment of some kind.

 

“Hello,” they chirped at him.

 

“Hi,” he replied blandly.

 

They kept staring at him.  He kept staring back.

 

“How are you today?”

 

Keiji glanced over their shoulder, looking for some trap or some sign of what the hell was going on.  Since the day with the whole ‘ripping a hole in the universe’ thing life had been… weird.  Or at least weirder than usual.  When he looked back they were still smiling up at him.

 

“I’m fine,” he answered warily.  “You?”

 

“Oh I’m doing really great today!  Thanks for asking!  I wasn’t sure it was gonna turn out that well when I first got up, what with the whole being woken up at two in the morning because my roommate was being summoned and he didn’t want to go so he literally threw me into the circle instead.  But things went pretty good and I took care of it and now I’m trying to get done with the rest of my tasks as soon as possible so I can go home and go to sleep and maybe hide all of my roommate’s candy in the toilet tank like last time so I was wondering if Kuroo was here I need to deliver a message to him from Kenma and Kenma can’t reach Kuroo and I offered to do it for him cause Kenma’s my best friend and he’s awesome.”

 

Keiji gave them a blank stare as he tried to process all the words that had just been dumped on him while he also tried to figure out how the hell anyone could say that much in that amount of time without taking a breath.  Did they even actually talk?  Was it some telepathy?  Why the hell was anyone willing to, let alone wanting to, talk to Kuroo at six in the morning?

 

Keiji took a step back and gestured for them to follow him inside.

 

“Kuroo’s room is the last door on the left.  I am not waking him up.  Good luck.”  They smiled even brighter, somehow, and headed down the hall.  “Oh and if he asks I do not have coffee for him.  He drank the last of it two days ago and didn’t replace it.”

 

“Got it!”  They practically skipped down the hall.  Keiji drug himself into the kitchen.  Anyone or anything that cheerful before eight in the morning was definitely a demon of some kind.  He was just glad they were here for Kuroo and not him.

 

—

 

A week later he was staring back down into those same bright eyes at way too fucking early in the morning.  It was safer than looking at the sheet of paper they handed to him as soon as he opened the door.

 

“Akaashi Keiji,” they breathed out, eyes widening.  “I didn’t realize it was you last time.  You’re just so…  Wow.”

 

“No.”  Keiji didn’t even read the paper.  Didn’t even glance at it.  He could feel the intent wafting off of it.  “Just.  No.”

 

The paper crackled and burst into flame and he went back inside, leaving the ball of sunshiny demon on his front step as he shut the door.

 

—

 

Another week.  Another paper.

 

This one was pressed against his chest as the sunshine slipped past him and headed straight for Kuroo’s room.  He would wonder what was going on, especially when he heard a shout and what sounded like Kuroo falling out of bed, but he was busy trying to unstick the paper from his shirt.  It was almost glued on but he couldn’t feel anything keeping it there.  He glared down at his shirt as he wandered into the kitchen.  No amount of pulling, tugging, prying, yanking, peeling, or scratching worked.

 

“It’s a message of intent,” that cheerful voice chirped at him from the doorway.  “You’re not going to get rid of it until you at least read it.”

 

Keiji glared at them and yanked his shirt over his head.  They snickered and stared at his chest.  The damn paper was fused there now and now that it was his skin was starting to itch a little.  He scratched idly at it and stared at the smiling demon in his kitchen.

 

“I know what a message of intent is.”  Their eyes went wide and serious when he put a finger against the corner of it and electricity and ice crackled across the page, and his skin, and etched pink lines across it all.  “I’ve just never seen one quite so persistent.”

 

“It would really be best if you just read it.  The last time someone tried to ignore or dismiss one of Tadashi’s notices their eyebrows didn’t come back for a month and I’m pretty sure they still have a tattoo of a fluffy pink kitten.  It’s temporary - at least he claims it is - but it’s also got free rein to kind of go wherever on their skin it wants to.”  Keiji stared at them, trying to figure out how serious they were being.  They shrugged.  “I mean.  It’s really your call.”

 

Keiji growled a little.  But he put his palm on the paper and acknowledged it.  The last thing he wanted to deal with was no eyebrows.  He just finally got all his facial muscles to cooperate again a couple days ago.

 

_ Akaashi Keiji _

 

_ This is a letter to inform you of our intent to court you to join our family of crows. _

 

_ We hope to see you soon. _

 

That was it.

 

That was it?  All of that fuss and magic and intent.  For three lines.

 

He looked between the paper and the person hovering in the doorway in irritation.

 

“No,” he stated.  Then he balled up the paper and tossed it onto the counter; he’d burn it later.

 

“We’ll see,” they replied.  Then they turned and let themselves out.

 

Honestly Keiji had never felt more uncomfortable due to someone so cheerful.  That ‘we’ll see’ sounded far more ominous than it had any right to.

 

—

 

"Go to school, they said.  Don't be a loner, they said.  You'll never be able to live if you try to go be a hedge witch, they said."  Keiji snorted and poured another glass of wine for himself.  "I have a home.  I have internet and Netflix.  I'm not on the run from the law like that deviant cousin of mine.  I have-"  he stared at the lump on the couch beside him and shrugged "- you I suppose even if you're a giant pain in the ass.  I am fine."

 

He glared over at the mess on his desk.  Keiji did not need to join some sort of cult or coven.  And if those feathered jerks would leave him the hell alone he'd be peachy.  But no.  There’s a literal pile of feathers on his desk and he knows exactly who they’re from even if he’s not entirely sure exactly how Hinata got into his home to leave them there.  He’s not entirely sure he wants to know either.  Crows were sneaky little shits to begin with and a murder of them were downright unsettling and who named a group of something a murder anyway?  What was the reasoning behind that?  Probably some snooty, snotty, stick in the mud asshole of a dick in the middle ages who thought they were the smartest thing ever.

 

The lump on the couch next to him shifted and Keiji slapped away the hand the reached past his face.

 

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough wine today?”

 

“Enough of your whining maybe.”

 

“These are literally the first words I’ve spoken to you for three days.”  Keiji took a healthy swallow of wine and stared at the lump.  “You know what?  Whatever.  Go be a drunken lush of a hedge witch.  See if I pick your ass up out of a ditch when you summon me next time.”

 

“I’ll just summon Kenma.”

 

The lump snorted.  “You have even less of a chance getting Kenma to pick your ass up than you would me.”

 

“Kenma loves me.”

 

“Kenma would sell you to Stan for a slice of lukewarm apple pie and an extra phone charger.”

 

“Don’t you mean Satan?”  And now Keiji was arguing with the lump of blankets on his couch.  He was totally stable and healthy and happy.  Why was his roommate a shifter?  Why couldn’t he have a normal roommate like maybe a hell hound?  Why did it have to be Kuroo?

 

“No I mean Stan.  That buff dude who runs register at the corner market.  Sometimes he lets Kenma make trades instead of paying cash.”  The lump flops off the couch and morphs into the shape of a human as it stands.  “Pretty sure Kenma’s already tried selling us all to Satan and, let me tell you, Satan drives a hard bargain.  Or maybe he bought us from Satan?  I dunno.  Fine print isn’t really my schtick.”

 

“Aren’t contracts part of your whole being though?  Like literally part of your existence requires a contract?”

 

Kuroo stared down at Keiji, hair a giant mess and eyes sparkling, and snorted.  “I’m not stupid but I’m not exactly the kind of smart required to write out lasting soul bonding contracts signed in blood and witnessed under the moon and three doves bathed in unholy water.”

 

Keiji snorted into his glass of wine.  There were a lot of things he could potentially say about Kuroo and his intelligence.  Too many to pick just one when he’d had as much wine as he’d had.

 

“I leave the fine details up to Kenma and Tsukki and all those little feathery demons.”

 

Keiji scowled.  Of course Kuroo just had to go and remind him about those damn crows.  Now he’s over one hundred percent sure that Kuroo is both why and how Hinata kept getting in and leaving him messages.  Or at least he’d be one hundred percent certain unless he was given proof otherwise.

 

“I wish you’d stop dragging them in and letting them leave feathers everywhere for me to clean up,” he grumbled at Kuroo.  Kuroo simply grinned at him and shrugged.

 

“Can’t help it if I enjoy basking in the warmth of sunshine personified.  Or demonified?  Is that a word?”

 

“I hate you.”

 

“Noted.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Seriously.  Seriously?  The guy who gave the Chaos Twins the hole in the universe?”

 

“He’s got a really hilarious sarcastic attitude and the poor guy just looks like he wants a nap and a warm blanket.”

 

“Daichi.”

 

“Hajime.”

 

“The fuck?”

 

“Language,” the secretary at the desk hissed at them.

 

“Sorry,” Hajime muttered.  “But seriously Daichi?  What the fudge coated popsicle is wrong with you?  You have a crush on him?”

 

Daichi’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.  Then everything scrunched as he stared at Hajime.  He flung his arm out to gesture across the office to where Oikawa was busy attempting to charm the pants off the board members he was meeting with.

 

“You really want to play Judgey McJudgeFace with me over who we have crushes on?  You really want to go there?”

 

“I at least have the benefit of knowing him most of my life okay.  I know what’s beyond the stupid floofy hair and dumb sarcasm.  You just like the way his butt looked in his jeans.”

 

“I cannot believe you just said that.  That was a private text conversation between us Hajime.”

 

“You started this Daichi.”

 

“I am ending it right now,” the secretary hissed at them again.  “Be quiet or take it outside.”

 

Daichi and Hajime stared at each other a moment.  Then Hajime turned to the secretary and gave him a quick once over.

 

“Look” — Hajime peered at the silver and teal name plaque on the desk — “Futakuchi.  Do you know who I am?”

 

The man seated behind the desk gave Hajime a slow once over.  

 

“Nope.  Nor do I care.”  He gave them both a scathing look that had them taking half a step back.  “Now please shut your mouths this is a work environment and some of us have actual jobs to be doing right now.”

 

“Damn,” Daichi muttered.  “No wonder Oikawa hired him.”

 

Futakuchi raised his eyebrows in irritation.

 

“If I have to warn you two on language one.  More.  Time.”  He looked between them for emphasis.

 

Daichi held up his hands in surrender and collapsed quietly on the chair furthest away from the secretary desk.  Hajime held out a few moments, staring straight back at Futakuchi, but he eventually joined Daichi.

 

“I swear Oikawa is hiring actual demons these days,” Hajime murmured to Daichi.

 

“I mean being a secretary is kind of a hellhole of a job.”

 

After a few minutes of silence that they spent glaring at each other, glaring at Futakuchi, and watching Oikawa smile and laugh and schmooze his way through his meeting the door finally opened and a string of businessmen filed out.

 

“We can’t wait to start our partnership with your company,” the last man out said as he hung behind his fellow suit wearing flock.  “If there’s anything you need, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to ask.”  The man shook Oikawa’s hand and then slid his fingers along Oikawa’s palm.  A bright white business card shimmered into being and Oikawa smiled back at him.

 

“Let me guess.  Your personal number?”  Oikawa’s eyes were bright and his smile sweet.  All that fake sweetness practically oozing from Oikawa’s pores made Daichi’s skin crawl and his stomach churn.

 

“Of course.  Like I said.  Anything.”

 

“Have a wonderful day.  One of us will surely be in contact soon.”

 

The man strutted out, blush on his cheeks and satisfied smile on his face as he passed the waiting area.  The elevator doors chimed as they shut and Oikawa shuddered.

 

“Ugh next time Ushiwaka gets to deal with them,” he declared.  “I don’t care if he’s on vacation then or not.”

 

“Noted,” Futakuchi said.  “Also you have Loud Mouth and Foul Mouth out here.  They have some kind of crisis that for some reason they think you can help with.”

 

Daichi always found it a little fascinating to watch Oikawa’s face when he slipped into situations.  He had known Hajime - and therefore Oikawa by extension - for years now and while he wasn’t as good at reading Oikawa’s nuances as Hajime he was getting pretty good at the bigger pictures.  Like how his face slid into something abashedly startled at talking like that in front of potential clients and then slid into his professional face.  But then dropped straight into an exhausted but cheerful thing when he spotted Hajime.  Daichi was confident enough in himself to not even pretend that look was directed at him.  

 

While he inspired many things in many people he would never be the cause of that much unfiltered joy in Oikawa Tooru.  Which was fine with him.  He didn’t want a clingy, whiny business siren in his life like that.  It was enough of a hassle when Oikawa was simply on the periphery of Hajime’s interactions with Daichi.

 

He watched Hajime stroll over to Oikawa and saw the way Oikawa sagged onto Hajime’s shoulder and Hajime huffed at him and rolled his eyes but took the weight with ease.  He wasn’t sure if Hajime seriously didn’t think Oikawa liked him.  Or if it was just some odd elaborate game they played.  Or if they were just always like this but the crushes were just crushes and neither wanted anything more than that.  He was pretty sure he could know Hajime the rest of his life and never actually figure the man out.

 

Daichi eventually wandered over to them when he got tired of Futakuchi throwing him unimpressed looks every three minutes.

 

“So what exactly are you wanting from me?”  Oikawa’s masks didn’t fully reappear at Daichi’s approach which he figured was a win in the end since Oikawa didn’t show anything less than his general siren perfection to anyone but the people he trusted the most.  “What do you think I can give you on Akaashi that Suga hasn’t managed to dig up himself?  That man is a dog with a bone when it comes to research.”

 

“Just anything you might be able to pick up I suppose.  Honestly I think Hajime just wanted an excuse to see you.  He was being all dramatic and pouty today.”

 

One of these days Hajime was actually going to shoot him in the ass for his sass.  And he’d deserve it.

 

But Hajime would have to catch him first.

 

Daichi hurried across the lounge, tossing a wave at Futakuchi over his shoulder, and pushed the stairwell door open before Hajime could even stop sputtering enough to yell at him.  After that it was a quick jog to the roof, an easy summon, and Asahi was there to carry him away from any danger.  Sure he had to listen to Asahi quietly scold him the entire way.  But that was better than facing Hajime’s wrath and definitely better than catching a cab back across the city.


	5. Chapter 5

“Ah Kenma,” the man behind the checkout counter said cheerfully as the door chimed, “there’s fresh apple pie today.  Oh you’re not Kenma.”

 

Keiji glanced down at himself, ruffled his hair, and shrugged.  “Not so far as I know.”

 

“Then we don’t have apple pie and all sales are final.”

 

Keiji nodded and wandered down the aisles.  He hadn’t really needed anything but he was a little tired of being cooped up in his house all day especially with the possibility of the embodiment of eternal sunshine appearing at his door, which only seemed to be happening every other day at the moment.  He really hoped they weren’t able to start a daily reign of terror upon his person.  He wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to hold out under that.  He really didn’t want to have to move.  He was just finally starting to explore around his home.  Sure he’d been there three years now but, really, it would suck to move just as he was getting used to the neighborhood.

 

His family hadn’t exactly been thrilled when he opted to not go to university and to not join their coven.  They were even less thrilled when he told them he really had no intention of joining a local coven either.  At the time he had been too young to want to settle down, especially since his magic was still twisting and unfurling new powers faster than he could sometimes handle, but he wasn’t about to tell them that part.  He had wanted the freedom to go where he wanted, see what he wanted, be what he wanted.  He had seen the way that joining a coven seemed to change a part of you that he wasn’t ready to change in himself and wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready to change.

 

Even now, years later, he couldn’t see settling down with a little circle of witches and focusing on whatever it was they focused on these days.  His family had been big on supporting the people in their town and the towns around them, always focused on the bigger picture and making sure the towns in the area approved of them.  Personal growth was fine so long as in the end it supported the strength and growth of the coven.  There were days he felt more like it was a mafia family than a coven.  At least his young idealistic ideas of what a coven should be.

 

He wandered the aisles, picking up random things and inspecting them before putting most back, and dimly heard the chime above the door sounding again.  This person wasn’t Kenma either and Keiji wondered Stan just greeted everyone like that until one of them was actually Kenma or if Kenma was expected today.

 

A colorful package caught his eye and he picked it up, debating if he should buy it.  Everyone could use a box of ready to use hand ground sandalwood and ginger, right?

 

He had just decided to get it - he could always find some use for it later - when someone at the end of the aisle cleared their throat authoritatively.  His instincts told him to throw the box at the person and make a hasty escape.

 

“Akaashi?”

 

His instincts screamed at him to throw the box, then the next three on the shelf, and then disappear out the back door never to be seen from again.  He might have to move to a new country, maybe Sweden or something, but he could disappear.  He’d hate to lose the money he had put into his house but, hey, he’d probably never have to deal with Kuroo again so there was at least one positive in all of it.

 

“Akaashi Keiji?”

 

Keiji didn’t recognize the second voice any more than he had the first but the scent of magic in the air that came with it was familiar.  Tadashi, Hinata had called them.  The one with the powerful notice of intent.  Keiji had been smelling that lingering magic for days, kind of like the way the scent of cheap take out hung in the air even after the garbage was taken out.

 

He slowly turned to look down the aisle at what was most likely his doom.  With an intent like that there was almost no way he would be able to say no in the end and he knew himself enough to know that a formal coven would drive him to madness.

 

A taller young man with freckles splashed across his face peered at him through a fringe of messy hair.  Next to him was a shorter man with close cropped hair and a build that looked like the man would never fold under any pressure.

 

“Akaashi,” the one with the build of a house and laugh lines around his eyes said again.  Which made the willowy looking kid the one with the magic that made his skin itch for hours after accepting the intent.  “I think it’s time you come with us and have a talk with a friend of ours.” 

 

Oh great.  That didn’t sound ominous at all.

 

“I need to buy this first,” Keiji said, shaking the box lightly in his hand.  He didn’t really.  But if it came down to it he could always use the box as a weapon or distraction.  And if neither of those happened he might have to sell it to start his new life in Sweden.

 

—

 

Keiji was not one for small talk.  Awkward conversations rarely happened because he usually opted to just raise an eyebrow and either walk away or shut a door in the person’s face.  It was hard to do either of those options stuck on the bus downtown with two people watching him.

 

“Oh I’m Sawamura Daichi by the way,” the man with the ridiculous laugh lines and chin chiseled by a master sculptor said.  “Please call me Daichi.”

 

“Oh!  I’m Yamaguchi.  Yamaguchi Tadashi,” the willow said with a soft laugh.  “I hope my message of intent found you well?”

 

“Oh it found me.  Hinata saw to it.”  Keiji rubbed at his chest and stared out the window.  Thankfully neither of the men across from him felt the need to make idle chitchat with him and he got to experience the ride in peace.  He sent a quick message to Kuroo and then contemplated, briefly, if it was possible to make up a spell to phase him out of the bus and into the great unknown with whatever he could grab on the bus.

 

_ Being taken to an unnamed location by a couple of crows.  If I wind up dead or worse it’s your fault and I’m coming back to ruin your life. _

 

He probably couldn’t but it was always an interesting mental exercise to plot things out like that.  His phone buzzed.

 

_ You’re coming back to ruin my life even if you’re not dead so I don’t see the issue? _

 

It was a fair point and they both knew it.  So Keiji didn’t bother replying.

 

—

 

The Law and Magical Enforcement building stood at the center of a small courtyard.  Keiji had a moment to appreciate the simple yet skillful landscaping around the building and the subtle traces of magic left behind by their gardener before he was ushered inside.  He caught glimpses of boring offices and dramatically long and bland hallways before he was lead into an elevator.  Daichi pushed the button for one of the top floors.  Yamaguchi stood in front of Keiji and watched the numbers above the door climb patiently.

 

When they reached their floor he was once again ushered through hallways and had enough time to glance at the nameplate outside the door he was directed through:  _ Iwaizumi Hajime, Chief Investigator of Magical Mishaps and Mayhem. _

 

There were three men inside.  One with ridiculously floofy hair lounging behind the desk with a smile on his face that just screamed of a siren.  One standing behind the desk looking out the window.  And one he recognized.  Mattsun was sprawled in a chair in front of the desk.  He waved pleasantly when he spotted Keiji and then went back to staring up at the ceiling.

 

“Akaashi Keiji,” Daichi said politely.  “Meet Iwaizumi Hajime.”  The man at the window turned around and Keiji’s instincts kicked in again.  He had the look of a man who was not to be trifled with.  At least not by someone like Keiji.  “And his fluffy nuisance, Oikawa Tooru.”  The man at the desk smiled even wider and Keiji felt his skin turn cold.  Even someone as detached from the buzz of the magical world knew of Oikawa Tooru.  “And of course you know Mattsun over there.”

 

He wondered how far he could get if he just ran at the window and leapt out of it.  He was pretty sure he still had the anti-gravity charm from Kuroo stuck in his shoe.  He should be fine.  And if not, well, from the looks of things it’s not like it would matter much in the end.

 

“Akaashi.  It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Oikawa purred.  Actually purred and Keiji’s instincts were going haywire.

 

“Cut the crap Tooru.  Not like you even have a reason to be here.”  Iwaizumi cuffed Oikawa on the back of the head and gave Keiji a stern look.  “You, however.  I’m sure you know why you’re here.”

 

“Did you know your building’s abbreviation is literally LAME?”  Keiji may have squeaked in horror when he realized what he just said.  Iwaizumi’s expression turned into one of a man who has heard a bad joke one too many times and Oikawa cackled.

 

“Oh holy shit Hajime I like him already.  Can we keep him?”

 

Some of Keiji’s instincts, namely the ones that controlled what he said, were not to be trusted it seemed.

  
  


This whole ordeal had been going on for over an hour.  Oikawa and Yamaguchi had slipped out ten minutes in muttering something about an appointment.  Daichi was now lounging in the chair behind the desk.  And Mattsun was still just sprawled in the other chair staring at the ceiling.

 

Iwaizumi had left his inside voice behind and was rapidly approaching angry coach yelling across a gym of teenagers trying to get one person’s attention.

 

"You ripped a hole in the universe!"

 

Keiji shrugged and focused on ignoring his instincts - which were now saying something along the lines of throwing Iwaizumi’s laptop at him and running out the door - and not looking directly at anyone in the room.  He was pretty sure if he threw anything at Iwaizumi the man would probably enjoy having an excuse to shoot him.

 

"Nah I didn't,” he said.

 

"Yes.  Yes.  You did."

 

"You have no proof."

 

"It's right.  There."  Iwaizumi pointed at Mattsun.  Who was scratching the tip of his nose with a pencil again and staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.  He was a little crinkly looking at the edges but other than that he didn’t seem to be experiencing any side effects to the whole being a sacrifice and somehow not actually dying and then having a hole in the universe shoved in his chest.  But Keiji wasn’t a medical expert so what did he know about it?

 

What he did know was his own contracts and rules, even if Kenma was the one who actually put most of them into a binding form for him to use.  Said rules he proceeded to explain to Iwaizumi for the third time that hour.

 

"I cannot be held liable for anything that happens once my spell has been completed.  What my clients do with the results of the spell are entirely up to them and are their responsibility the moment my spell ends and or is transferred to them."

 

"A hole in the universe!”  Keiji wasn’t sure why Iwaizumi seemed to think that repeating the words louder would do anything.  It’s not like the hole ruined his hearing or anything.

 

"It's clearly stated in my contract: not my problem.  They accepted the terms when they paid me for the spell.  The spell which they found or researched.  It’s all legally binding and whatnot.  All up to the proper codes and standards of today’s magical legal system.  You can talk to Kenma if you don’t believe me.”

 

Iwaizumi groaned in frustration as something nearby shattered and reknitted itself.  The corner of the room took on a muted color scheme.  Keiji decided it was safest to just not look directly at it.

 

“Could you, I dunno, just take it out of  _ him _ and put it back where it belongs?”

 

“Could I?  Technically probably yes.  Will I?  No.  Vodka?”

 

Reality shifted and twisted a little and Makki came tumbling out of nothingness with a cackle.  Iwaizumi ran a hand down his face and sighed.  "Are you offering the vodka to me or asking for more?"

 

Keiji considered it for a moment.  "Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

The day was gray.  Fog muting all the colors and washing them into pale gritty comparisons of their normal hues.  The air was cool and damp and still.  Not even the slightest breath of disturbance moved moved the leaves on the trees.  Keiji should have just stayed home and curled up under some blankets with Kuroo.  If there was anything his roommate was actually good for it was being a personal space heater.  Sure he boosted Keiji’s spellwork and baseline magic skills but the important part was that he was always so warm.  Especially on damp dreary days like today.

 

“Hello Akaashi.”

 

He did not recognize the voice but he instantly knew that he really, really, really should have stayed at home.  As he was recently reminded, his instincts weren’t the most reliable things but when they said to not turn around and simply walk away briskly, he listened.  Too bad it did nothing and less than half a block later he heard footsteps jogging to catch up with him.

 

“Relax,” the person said as they easily caught up to him.  “Not like I’m here to assassinate you or anything.”

 

Keiji glanced over.  Took in the serene smile.  The cute little beauty mark under their eye.  The fluffy ashen hair.  The innocent brown eyes.

 

“No.  You’re just going to drag me somewhere for some nice long torture that makes me wish you would have just assassinated me.”

 

They blinked in surprise and then started laughing and he wasn’t going to lie.  He wanted to laugh along.  Damn it either this person was a siren in cahoots with Oikawa or they could bewitch people just by breathing.  Either way Keiji needed to get away from them.

 

“Oh I can see why Oikawa was so amused by you.”

 

Why were so many people suddenly so fond of his scathing replies and rude remarks?  Once upon a time those drove people away.  He blamed Kuroo entirely.  He wasn’t sure how exactly it was Kuroo’s fault.  But it was.

 

“You do realize that’s not exactly the way to endear someone to you, right?  Telling them that Oikawa is amused by them?”

 

“Oh but that’s exactly why I know you’re going to fit in with everyone so well!  You take one look at Oikawa and instead of falling to his feet and swooning like so many others you basically tell him to go climb back in the dumpster where he belongs.  If we had tests you would have passed that first one with flying colors.”

 

“Yay me,” Keiji replied blandly.  Was it too late to start running?  Probably.  This person looked like they could probably chase him down.  Or convince someone nearby to do it for him.  Keiji eyed the muscular policeman standing at the curb the next block up.  He could crush Keiji with his calves and he could imagine the person next to him convincing the man to do it.  So running probably wasn’t an option at this point.  Besides.  These assholes knew where he lived.  Speaking of.  “So why the change in tactics?  Eternal sunshine have other more important obligations?”

 

“Eternal Sunshine has a name.  Its Hinata.  And my name is Sugawara Koushi.  Call me Suga.”

 

“Do I have to call you anything?  Can’t I just, I don’t know, go back to being left alone?”

 

“You’ve managed to lay low for awhile now.  But people are already starting to talk about who was crazy enough and powerful enough to rip a hole in the universe and keep it stable enough to transfer not once, but twice in a span of two minutes.”

 

“So let them talk.”

 

“Normally I’d say the same thing.  And even despite the giant headache it caused with the fact that he has to live with them?  Even then Hajime’s not really concerned.  The thing really is still stable which is impressive given the fact it’s been, what, a week?”

 

Keiji nodded and wondered A) if Suga was planning on following him all the way to the store and back and B) if Suga was going to get to his point soon.

 

“So yeah.  It’s really not causing that much more mayhem and disaster than Makki and Mattsun get up to anyway so Hajime’s not worried.  But he’s heard some rumors that some other people are concerned about the fact that this lone witch that no one knows anything about is so powerful.  I think they’re worried you’re going to go on a rampage and start magic murdering the world or something.”

 

Keiji stared at Suga, debating how serious he was being, and then sighed.  “If you ever met my roommate you’d understand why if I was going to snap and magic murder the world I would have done it by now.”

 

“I know that you’ll be fine.  You know it.  Hajime’s pretty sure of it.  Daichi understands.  But it’s assholes like Hi-” Suga cut himself off with a growl and clenched his fists.  “But there are assholes who will assume anything not under their thumb needs to either get under said thumb or disappear.”

 

“So, what?  Join you or be killed by some mysterious unknown faceless force?”

 

Suga let out a patient sigh that spoke volumes about how Keiji wasn’t even close to actually testing his patience.  He was far more amused than irritated.  Which made Keiji both curious and a little wary about meeting the rest of these crows.

 

“We’re just trying to give you an option.  I don’t know what your experiences with covens and the like have been.  I don’t know your reasons for not being in one yet despite being a perfect age to be forming bonds and having the kind of power that should have dozens trying to court you in various ways.  I just know that I’d hate to see someone be forced into the kind of shit I’ve seen people be forced into when they get backed into a corner when it comes to their magic and how they use it.  And I’d doubly hate to see you in that kind of position because I think we could actually be pretty good friends if given the chance.”

 

Suga stopped at the end of the block the store was on and handed Keiji a piece of paper.

 

“That’s where Hinata and I and a few of the others live.  We have a lot of space so most of us are in and out throughout the day.  If nothing else stop by.  Meet some of us and see how we do things.  The worst that happens is that Hinata sees you and tries to tackle hug you.” Suga paused and crinkled his nose.  “Well I’m sure that worse things could happen but we’re going with optimistic thoughts this week.  So hopefully I’ll see you soon.”  He started to walk away and then turned back.  “Stop by whenever you want.  For whatever reason you decide.  Don’t worry about calling or anything.  Someone’s always around.  You can bring Kuroo with if you want.  Hinata would love to see him I’m sure!”

 

And then he was gone and a single black feather floated to the ground at Keiji’s feet.

 

All he had wanted to do was get some rice from the store and maybe some vegetables.  Though he supposed he should be thankful it didn’t turn out like his last attempted trip to the store.

 

“Hey Stan,” he said as he opened the door.  Stan gave him a bored look and went back to reading his fashion magazine.  “Good talk,” he muttered as he headed for the aisle with the rice.  No wonder Stan and Kenma got along so well.

 

He stared at the slip of paper most of the walk home.  Debating the pros and cons of at least visiting them like Suga had suggested.  The biggest pro was the fact that if he went and decided not to join them they really had no reason to keep showing up and pestering him all the time.

 

He didn’t want to delve to deeply into why that felt a little bit like a con as well.


	7. Chapter 7

It was raining.  Because of course it was raining.  Keiji had to travel across the city and then an hour into the outskirts of it, he was sniffling like a pig going after a truffle thanks to the damp weather all week screwing with his allergies, and he was pretty certain that whatever leftovers he ate from the fridge last night were probably meant to be used in one of Kuroo’s rituals and not meant for human consumption.  Needless to say he was pretty miserable.  Which was the perfect time to finally visit the crows and see what they were all about.  Because with the day already starting off so low there really wasn’t a chance it could go any lower.

 

And if it did?  Well he probably deserved it in some way or another.  He wasn’t a saint after all.  Just a normal hedge witch trying to survive and not get sucked into some weird cult-like coven.  At least he hoped this one wasn’t as “do not question the glowing orb” as the one he grew up around had been.  Not that he was getting his hopes up or anything.

 

Why did it feel like he was trying to talk himself into joining them?

 

It must have been whatever it was of Kuroo’s he ate.  That was the most logical reasoning.  There was no other explanation that made sense.

 

Keiji mused about it on the train ride across the city and then sent Kuroo a series of vaguely threatening texts during the ride to the outskirts.  The only responses he got were laughing emojis and a bunch of snaps of Kuroo in ridiculous poses with the cat ear filter.  Honestly that asshole was no help at all.

 

He wasn’t sure what he expected when he left the tiny train station and walked the two blocks to the address on the paper.  But it wasn’t the small two story house he found.  The front lawn had been replaced by an intricate rock garden of sorts, though Keiji thought he saw a few planters of herbs growing here and there, and one large willow tree.  He thought he saw a twin willow in the backyard but he didn’t really give himself time to dawdle.  He marched up to the front door and knocked before he could convince himself this was a silly idea and he just needed to go back home.  People found him.  He didn’t go looking for them.

 

But then he knocked and there was the steady thump of footsteps and the door was opening and he really couldn’t run away.  Especially when Iwaizumi was the one who answered the door.

 

“Oh,” Keiji said, “I didn’t know you lived here.”

 

Iwaizumi’s eyes widened when he saw Keiji and he grinned.  

 

“Oh I don’t.  But this is going to be so great.”  

 

He waved for Keiji to follow him inside and lead the way down the hallway to the kitchen.  There were far more rooms spreading out from the hallway than possible given the way the outside looked but Keiji figured it was none of his business exactly who they had managed to sweet talk in the Department of Architecture, Magic, and Nature (Environmental Defense) to approve that kind of work.

 

Keiji had no idea why Iwaizumi was leading him into an empty kitchen.  But Iwaizumi was still grinning and Keiji figured that was better than the expression on his face the last time they had been in the same room.  Even if it was starting to get a little unsettling.

 

There was a noise from another hallway leading from the kitchen and Keiji looked up just in time to see Daichi trip over nothing that Keiji could see and proceeded to drop everything out of his arms as he pinwheeled and landed on the floor on his hands and knees.  There were a few awkward seconds of nothing but the sounds of everything rustling and rattling and falling to the floor.  Then Iwaizumi snorted so hard Keiji was pretty sure he hurt himself before he doubled over with laughter.

 

Daichi’s face was a shade of red that Keiji remembered seeing on a rose freshly bloomed and it looked just as silky on the curve of Daichi’s cheek.  A tiny part of him wondered if it would feel as silky too.  It was the tiny part he had been trying to ignore as much as possible lately.

 

“Holy.  Shit,” Iwaizumi wheezed.  “That was.  Wow.”

 

A few seconds later a phone on the counter buzzed and Daichi picked himself up off the floor with a groan.  A groan that only got louder when he grabbed the phone and checked it.

 

“Please tell me you did not,” he whined.  Iwaizumi just kept laughing.  Daichi’s phone buzzed a bunch more times until he silenced it with a growl and tossed it back on the counter.

 

Even grumpy and angry the man was attractive and approachable and Keiji hated himself for thinking it.  What the hell happened to the loner hedge witch who didn’t need anyone?  When had he been replaced with some wishy washy idiot who was practically swooning over some guy?

 

“If you’re done humiliating me in the group chat you could help me pick this stuff up Hajime.”  Iwaizumi snorted with amusement a few more times.  “Especially since it’s your crush we’re making this for.”  Iwaizumi sucked in a sharp breath and glared at Daichi.  But it looked a little too amused still to really pack any sort of a punch.

 

They - because despite being a loner Keiji hadn’t been raised wild and impolite and he helped as well - picked everything up and set what looked to be the makings for an epic cake of some kind on the counter just in time for a new whirlwind to come flying into the kitchen.

 

“Stop,” Daichi said as Hinata barreled into the kitchen.  He twirled his index finger and Hinata did an about face.  “Shoes, bags, and coats in the closet.”  Hinata and whoever had been behind them hurried back down the hallway.

 

“Should I have taken my shoes off?”

 

Daichi smiled at Keiji.  “Only if you wanted to.  It’s mostly just Shouyou and Lev that we have to make it a rule for because they are both excellent at using articles of clothing and shoes as decor and just leaving them everywhere.”

 

There was a shout and the rumbling of feet pounding down the hallway and a few seconds later Keiji was watching three people try to squeeze through one doorway at the same time.  They managed, somehow, in a tangle of limbs and muffled grumbling and that was how Keiji found himself face to face with sunshine personified, a walking stick of bamboo, and the most adorable raincloud he’d ever seen.

 

“Akaashi Keiji,” Daichi said and Keiji in no way shivered at the sound of his name from those lips, “you’ve met Hinata.”  Keiji nodded.  “The other two are Haiba Lev and Kageyama Tobio.”

 

The bamboo stick - Haiba - had eyes green enough to rival an alley cat and the raincloud - Kageyama - had the kind of blue eyes that only existed in fanfiction.  Not that he read fanfiction.  But there were some really awesome Harry Potter fics out there and he had such a soft spot for enemies to lovers okay?

 

“Nice to meet you,” Kageyama mumbled, eyes focused on Keiji with an intensity that made him shiver.

 

Haiba was nearly vibrating in place next to Kageyama.  “Hello!  Shouyou’s told me a lot about you!”

 

Keiji looked between them, over to Hinata, and then to where Iwaizumi and Daichi were leaning against the counter.

 

What the hell was he getting himself into?  And why the hell was he almost looking forward to it?


	8. Chapter 8

All in all things with the crows had gone better than he expected.  The ones he had met the other day were a little wild and energetic and rowdy but they were also young.  Both in age and experience.  Hinata was an untapped well of power, Haiba’s powers had just revealed themselves the previous fall and had the potential to be amazing, and Kageyama also had great potential but had been stuck practicing by himself for so long as a child that he was having trouble controlling his power when he was around others.  Daichi had explained that should Keiji join the crows Suga had been hoping Keiji would agree to help him train those three.  Suga was, according to Daichi, nearly at his wit’s end with them and could use someone experienced in controlling the kind of raw power that Keiji - and their three youngest members - seemed to have.

 

Suga was without a doubt a good teacher, a good witch.  But his talents were not what those three needed.

  
  


“I didn’t realize that it was a child who was in love with you,” Keiji teased.  Kuroo sneered at him the way that only a cat can and then shifted into a human form.

 

“Which is why, you’ll note, I have done nothing towards them.  And they’re not a child.  They’re seventeen.  Still young as hell for someone my age technically.  But when you say it like that you make them sound twelve or something.”

 

Keiji waved his hand towards the pile of clothes Kuroo had been sleeping on and levitated them towards the washer in the back corner.

 

“And?  So?  What are you planning on doing with their adorable puppy love?”

 

“Nothing.  And they know it.  I told them in a few years if they’re still interested and we’re both available we can discuss it.”

 

The clothes dropped into the washer and sudsy water began to fill it.

 

“That’s very mature of you.”

 

“Don’t sound so surprised.  I can be mature.”

 

“Obviously.  I’m just used to you doing things like seeing how many marshmallows you can fit into your mouth without choking on one and seeing what happens when you shift into a mouse and then try to shift back inside the wall of a house.”

 

“Yeah okay I deserved that.”  Kuroo shrugged, not even the slightest bit ashamed.  “I do dumb things sometimes.  But going out with a seventeen year old when I am twenty-three is not one of them.”

 

Keiji flicked his wrist and started the washer as a knock came from the front door.

 

“It’s your turn to answer,” he said at the same time Kuroo shifted into a squirrel and scurried onto the bookshelf.  “You are such a shit.  I don’t know why I even let you live here.  You don’t even pay bills.”  He had one hand on the doorknob when something small hit him in the back of the head.  He looked at the floor as it bounced and then shot the squirrel and glare.  “Don’t hit me with your nuts Kuroo.  You little freak.”

 

He turned back and froze, not even realizing he had been on autopilot and continued with the motions of opening the door.  Which was just great.  Because Daichi and Hajime and Mattsun were standing on the other side of the door.

 

“Fuck my entire life,” he muttered.

 

Keiji didn’t even bother with something like covering his face or looking at the floor in embarrassment.  He would be more upset if he didn’t understand the way the world worked.  It lived to screw him over right now because he screwed with it on a fairly regular basis with his magic.  It was technically fair, even when it sucked for him.

 

So he just stared straight at Hajime, sighed, and gestured for them to come inside.

 

“Is there some particular reason you’re here today?  Or were you just in the neighborhood?”  Keiji finally asked after they had stood in awkward silence in his living room for a couple minutes.  “Maybe out selling cookies and raising money for a good cause?”

 

“Is your washing machine supposed to do that?”  Keiji followed Daichi’s gaze to the corner and sighed.

 

The machine was swaying gently side to side with a lavender glow around it.  As they stared at it a low, melodic humming started coming from it.

 

“Does anyone else smell garlic?”  Daichi asked.

 

“Why is this my life?”  Keiji wondered aloud as the machine began to levitate, still swaying and glowing, and a swirl of purple and gold appeared in the center of it.

 

“Um.  Because you ripped a hole in the universe and gave it to the Chaos Twins,” Hajime suggested.

 

“Oh yeah,” Keiji said.  “That.”

 

“‘Oh yeah’ he says.  ‘That’ he says.  Like ripping a hole in the universe and giving it to Makki and Mattsun is right up there with ‘oops I forgot to buy butter’ and not ‘maybe I just started the apocalypse.’”  Hajime rubbed at his forehead.  “What will it cost me to get you to take it out of Mattsun and put it back where it belongs?”

 

The humming turned into singing and Keiji watched as Kuroo started scurrying back and forth on the top shelf of the bookcase in agitation.

 

“I told you already.  I cannot be held liable for anything that happens once my spell has been completed.  What my clients do with the results of the spell are entirely up to them and are their responsibility the moment my spell ends and or is transferred to them."

 

The purple and gold swirl got larger and turned green and pink.  Kuroo kept scurrying.  Daichi sniffed the air and wondered if it now smelled like lilacs to anyone else.  A bell chimed three times and the lights dimmed.

 

A small figure tumbled out of the swirls of color on the front of the machine and Keiji found himself looking down at a familiar face.  Three more chimes sounded and another figure tumbled out and landed on the first.  This one also familiar.

 

“That was totally cool,” Hinata crowed as they untangled themselves from the man underneath them.  “One minute I was at home and then next whoosh bam I was here.”

 

Kuroo chittered at Keiji from the shelf and Keiji winced.

 

“Hello Yaku,” he said politely as the other man finally managed to get to his feet.

 

Yaku looked at him, raised an eyebrow, spotted Kuroo on the shelf, raised the other eyebrow, and then rolled his eyes.

 

“Why am I not surprised it’s you two?”  Yaku asked.

 

“Seriously,” Hajime grumbled, face buried in his hands.  “How many bottles of vodka do I have to give you to for you to put it back?”

 

Keiji ran his hand down his face as everyone started talking at once.  Everyone except Mattsun.  Mattsun who was looking a little fuzzy around the edges and had a particularly orange tinge to him.

 

“Do you have any opinions to share?”  Keiji asked Mattsun when Hinata spotted Kuroo and shouted in surprise before running over to the bookcase and trying to jump high enough to reach the top shelf.

 

“Nah.  But I do have a question.”

 

“Oh?”

 

Mattsun leaned closer.  “Is it supposed to taste like turquoise when I burp?”

 

The timer on the washer dinged and Keiji flicked the laundry to the dryer and hoped that everything was still intact and not filled with lingering magic.  It was probably a futile hope given the state of the world and the hole in the universe a few feet away.  But whatever.  Maybe the dryer would explode and then he’d have no house and have to move away.  Far, far, far away.

 

“What I am asking,” Hajime said tersely, “is how much I have to pay you, how much you want for me to become a client, and have you put that thing back where it came from?”

 

“Hajime,” Mattsun broke in, scandalized, “you can’t just take my things from me like that.”

 

“I’ve been doing it since I was five, Mattsun.  I can take anything of yours I want and you know it.”

 

Mattsun shrugged.  “Okay I suppose that’s fair.”

 

Kuroo chittered some more from the bookshelf where Hinata was jumping and trying to reach him.  Keiji shrugged and made a slightly rude gesture towards the squirrel.

 

“I don’t know if you should taste turquoise when you burp I am not the one with medical training here,” he said.  Then he turned to Hajime as Mattsun’s eyes lit up and he turned to Daichi.  Daichi grumbled at Keiji but listened to Mattsun start describing things to him that had been happening.  “As for putting it back first of all normally if I don’t know the spell or ritual I’m not the one who researches it.  So we need to find me the counterspell or something I can use to repair a hole like that.  I also am not the one who put it  _ in _ him in the first place so Chaos Twin One will have to do that part for us.”

 

“Why am I Twin Two,” Mattsun let out a muffled protest.  He had his shirt bunched up near his face so that Daichi could inspect the hole in the universe in his chest.

 

“Because you’re younger than him,” Hajime answered.

 

“And I met him first,” Keiji said.

 

Mattsun opened his mouth to respond but let out a squeak of surprise instead when Daichi poked him in the side a bit harder than was probably necessary.

 

“Despite being an idiot who let himself be a sacrifice who now has a hole in the universe in his chest you’re in fairly good shape.  Tricksters,” he muttered before turning to Keiji and Hajime.  “It doesn’t seem like it’s gone so far as to fuse to his actual magic or his body.  So he should be fine when it gets removed.  It’s currently just acting as a kind of amplifier as far as I can tell.  Which is why he is now literally a walking, talking, hole of chaos in the world instead of just being more of a figurative one.”

 

“Keep it up and you’ll literally be a jackass instead of just a figurative one.”  Mattsun rubbed his side with a pout and dropped his shirt back down.

 

Keiji ignored them and focused on talking to Hajime.  Which was easier said than done considering one had a hole in the universe in his chest and the other was Daichi.  “So figure out the spell or ritual to put it back.  Get Chaos Twin One to help get it out of Twin Two.  Buy me at least three bottles of vodka and a mango smoothie and we can be in business.”

 

“And the ingredients?”

 

Kuroo chittered again.  “Kuroo will buy them,” Keiji replied.  “Because he’s just that kind.”

 

Kuroo chittered angrily and threw an acorn at Keiji’s head.

 

“Why do I get the feeling that, uh, wasn’t actually what he said?”

 

Kuroo chittered one more time and then with the kind of loud crackle-pop that normally came from twisting a piece of bubble wrap he shifted back into something mostly human and fell off the bookshelf with a look of shock on his face.  His giant fluffy human sized squirrel tail twitched angrily as the room fell into silence and then burst into laughter.

 

“Okay,” Yaku said through his laughter.  “I’ll give you a pass on the summoning of high legal and moral questionability just because that is the most hilarious thing I’ve seen since he and Bokuto glued themselves together for a week and had to be magically separated.”

 

Daichi sucked in a breath.  “That was you?  Do you know how much time I had to put into that?  How much research I had to do?”

 

“Do you know how much sleep I lost over that?”  Hajime added.  “How many hours of paperwork I was stuck filling out?  How much effort I had to put into spinning some kind of plausible reasoning for what boiled down to being a stupid bet?”

 

“Nice to officially meet you both,” Kuroo answered, face still pressed into the floor.  “I feel like I still have a tail.  Do I still have a tail?”


	9. Chapter 9

There was something that always unsettled Keiji when it came to performing his spells and rituals in front of more than just a couple people.  It reminded him too much of mindless hordes chanting at glowing orbs and hiding under jeweled masks that glittered in moonlight.  It wasn’t a universal feeling, obviously.  Many witches and magical beings thrived on casting with and in front of others.  It amplified their magic even more.  The only thing that ever amplified his magic was something with powers like Kuroo.  Which was about the only reason he bothered keeping the jerk around.  For the most part Keiji had never really needed any magic but his own.

 

Which is why meeting the crows in full force and seeing the kind of powers they had was a little overwhelming for him.  In his experience like flocked to like.  Defensive spells to defensive.  Healing to healing.  Summoners to summoners.  He had never been around a coven as varied in specialties as this one seemed to be.

 

Hinata had some kind of demonic power that Keiji couldn’t quite figure out.  Daichi was most skilled in healing, hence his whole witch doctor thing.  Yamaguchi’s will and intent was some of the most powerful Keiji had seen in years.  Kageyama’s skills were similar to Keiji’s, based mainly in summonings but largely able to perform most any spell placed in front of him.  Haiba had defensive magic that had the potential to be something absolutely amazing if he could just get control of it.  There were crows with fire magic and ice magic, crows who specialized in electricity.  Some summoned, some shifted.  They were a mess of skills and talents and just thinking about all the potential ways their magic could go wrong made his head hurt.

 

“How do you even manage to deal with all this?”  

 

Suga looked up from the books spread between them on the table.  “What do you mean?  The research?  I like research.”

 

“No.  Not the research.  I mean everyone around here.  Isn’t it stressful?  So many different magics and powers in one group?  How do you even keep them from blowing this place up on a good day?”  A huge crash sounded somewhere deep in the house as if to back up his statement.

 

“Oh.”  Suga laughed.  “That’s not so hard.  It’s actually pretty helpful to have so many different people and magics running around.  It means that when we have something pop up that needs a certain specialty there’s a pretty good chance that we have someone here who can do it.”  An even more impressive crash rattled the ceiling above them.  Suga’s smile never wavered.  “Granted that also means that it’s really handy that we have such good relations with people like those in Law and Magical Enforcement and the Department of Architecture, Magic, and Nature.”

 

Keiji still wasn’t sure he wanted to know what kind of blackmail they had on those people to get them to bend the rules as much as they seemingly did.  Or maybe, as Kuroo would say, it was just the power of friendship at work.

 

“So other than putting the hole back where it belongs where exactly am I supposed to be fitting in here?  Daichi said something about helping you with the younger ones?  Is that something you actually need help with?  Because honestly you seem to have this handled pretty well to me.”

 

“Oh it’s ‘Daichi’ is it?  Not Sawamura?”

 

Keiji hated that he was blushing.  Hated that he had a stupid crush on someone who was so wrapped up with other people.  Why, if he was ever going to get a crush, couldn’t it have been on someone like Kenma who didn’t like other people?  Or Bokuto who for all his energy really only kept a few close friends?  Why did it have to be someone who lived in a home with more people going in and out of their door than the hotel down in the bar district?

 

“He told me to call him that.”  Keiji refused to look away from Suga.  It would feel too much like defeat somehow.

 

“I told you to call me Suga yet you haven’t yet.”  He winked at Keiji.  “So?”

 

“If I start calling you Suga does that mean you’ll drop this?”  
  
Suga nodded a few times and dragged his fingers back and forth across the papers and books spread out between them, never looking away from Keiji.  Keiji could feel Suga’s magic twisting and twining, seeking the spell or ritual they needed to complete the job.  Something snagged and the papers began to shudder.  A book flew into the air, pages flipping back and forth wildly until one ripped out and fluttered down to the table in front of Keiji.

 

“Nope.  Not gonna stop now that I know you two have massive crushes on each other.  This is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

 

“Why am I not surp- Wait.  What do you mean on each other?”  Suga picked up the paper and skimmed through it.  Then frowned at the bottom and read it again.  “Suga I asked you a question.  I’m talking to you.”

 

“Question for you Keiji: do your stocks of readily available ingredients include shavings of dragon’s gold and the trust of a heart stealing demon?”

 

Keiji grabbed the paper and read over it himself.  Then he did it a second and third time with a groan.

 

> _Ingredients necessary to repair holes in universes, realities, time, and other delicate materials:_
> 
> _the kiss of a gentle soul_
> 
> _threads of moonbeams collected on a winter’s eve_
> 
> _shavings of dragon’s gold (at least an ounce is preferable - a dragon’s heartstring may be substituted for holes in time but NOT for holes in realities)_
> 
> _a steel intent_
> 
> _seventeen drops of lemon juice_
> 
> _five sugars cubed_
> 
> _one black candle cursed by a holy creature no more than an hour prior to the spell being cast_
> 
> _two silver candles cursed by a sun_
> 
> _graveyard dirt_
> 
> _three inches of hand ground sandalwood and ginger_
> 
> _the trust of a heart stealing demon_

  
  


Keiji groaned as he read the list for a fourth time.  “Why is undoing something so much harder than doing it in the first place?”

 

“Because: life,” Suga responded distractedly as he flipped through a few more pages that were fluttering across the table between them.  “Okay so it looks like we have to get this done within a month and a half from the time the hole was ripped.  So we have, what, a week?”  Keiji didn’t respond which was fine since Suga didn’t seem to be waiting for him to say anything.  “Okay the threads and candles will be easy enough to get.  Not so sure about the dragon’s gold.  I mean I know a couple but I’m not sure how amenable they’ll be to sharing.  Tadashi’s intent should be good for this.”

 

“I have the sandalwood and ginger.”  The box he bought the day he met Daichi was still sitting in his cupboard, gathering dust next to his vial of instant luck and his wine glasses.  “Yaku will be able to get the graveyard dirt without a problem.  Probably the lemon juice and sugar too.”

 

Suga studied the paper again, humming contemplatively as he tapped his fingers against the table.  “I suppose Kiyoko would be suitable for the gentle soul.  Oh!  Maybe she can help us with the dragon’s gold.  Which just leaves… The trust of a heart stealing demon.”  Suga sighed.  “Well.  That could complicate things.  Maybe I should just find another spell.”  Suga eyed the mess on the table.

 

Keiji dropped his head against the table and groaned.  “That is a phone call I am not looking forward to making.”

 

Suga let the papers drop and grow still as he stared at Keiji in surprise.  “Wait.  You’re telling me you not only know a heart stealing demon but you have the trust of one?”

 

He sighed.  Was it really that important to put the hole back?  Couldn’t he just let it be and hope for the best?  Could he maybe still just run away to Sweden?  Was it really necessary to get _him_ involved?  Why did it have to be a heart stealing demon?  Of all the demons and creatures.  Why Nagisa?

 

“I do.  Not necessarily by choice.  But I do.”

 

“I feel like there’s a really good story behind that.”

 

Keiji flicked his wrist and the papers all straightened up and the books flipped shut and bounced into neat little piles.

 

“Oh there is,” he said with a grin.  “But you must at least a level four friend to unlock my tragic backstory and, sadly, you’re only at about one and three quarters.”  Keiji shrugged.  “Try again later.”

 

“What do I get to know at level one and three quarters?”

 

“Once upon a time a little demon named Nagisa found a little witch named Keiji lost in the deep dark forest.  Stuff happened and now little Keiji is all grown up and he has Nagisa’s friendship and trust.  The end.”

 

“I feel like I’m missing some key points but I will respect the friendship requirement and just say: damn.”

 

Keiji blinked in surprise.  Suga dropping the subject that easily felt a little like a trap.  Either that or there was something about this spell that Keiji missed that required Suga’s seriousness and concentration.  Or it was both.

 

Suga started jotting down notes, face scrunched in concentration.  Both was probably the safest bet.


	10. Chapter 10

Keiji took one look at the woman in front of him and turned around to glare at Suga.

 

“You’re making me do all the hard jobs, aren’t you?”

 

“Well.  You’re the one who ripped a hole in the universe.  I’m not doing all the hard work to fix it.”  Suga smiled.  It was a smile that Keiji was pretty sure he was going to start to dread seeing soon.  It promised all sorts of wonderful things so long as you listened to what Suga wanted.  The problem for Keiji was that he wasn’t the best at listening to what other people wanted.  “Meet Shimizu Kiyoko.  The gentlest purest soul we know.  Dearest Kiyoko.  Meet Akaashi Keiji.  The guy who gave Makki and Mattsun the hole in the universe.”

 

“Oh!”  Kiyoko exclaimed softly.  “Nice to finally meet you.”

 

“Finally?”

 

“Between Daichi talking about all the good things about you and Shouyou talking about how awesome you are and Hajime complaining about all the trouble you’re going to cause him I feel like I know so much about you already.”

 

“Why am I so popular with you all?  Do you have nothing better to do than to gossip about me?  Are your lives that boring that some random hedge witch is that fascinating?”

 

Shimizu laughed behind him and that was it.  Keiji was fucked.  He could feel it straining at his edges and curling warmly in his stomach.  His glare at Suga grew even more severe.

 

“What the fuck is she?” he hissed at Suga.  He was bewitched, ready to take on the world just to see her smile, just to hear her laughter fill the air.  Even Oikawa hadn’t been this effective and he was a top tier siren.

 

“The gentlest, purest soul we know,” Suga replied with a smile.  “Be nice to her.  Or at least as nice as you can be since you are a walking salt lick with far more magic than many of us combined.”

 

Keiji raised his brows.  “Oh.  I’m the salty one?”

 

“I haven’t slept in over two days because the Chaos Twins have been pestering Tobio and his magic is going haywire and I have spent the last thirteen hours gathering threads from Kei and helping Shouyou curse candles and talking Asahi into doing a curse as well.  And not to mention the time I’ve already spent trying to sweet talk Saeko into giving up some gold shavings all while figuring out how to harness Tadashi’s intent so that you can use it in a spell that I spent three hours helping you find all because  _ you _ did something as dumb as rip a hole in the universe and gave it to a Trickster just because he bought the ingredients and paid you with some vodka.  So excuse me for being a little salty.”

 

Suga’s eyes flashed and the windows rattled in their frames.

 

“Oh.”  Keiji nodded slowly and backed away from Suga.  Then he bumped into Shimizu and froze.  “You know what.  How about I just go and make those calls to Yaku and Nagisa.  How does that sound?  Get this done as quickly as possible?”

 

“I think that would probably be best,” Shimizu said softly from behind him.  “The summer that Suga only slept four days a week every week still haunts me sometimes.  He really isn’t someone to deprive of sleep.”

 

“Got it.  Nice to meet you.”

 

“You as well.  Let me know if there is anything you need before the spell.”  Shimizu patted him on the shoulder.  “My number is in your phone.”

  
  


—

 

Ice clinked against glass as Keiji tilted his drink and stared down at his phone.  He was torn between calling Nagisa and just disappearing for the rest of his life.  Suga surely wouldn’t follow him into a new country if he disappeared.

 

Yaku snorted at him.  “Is it really that bad?

 

“I have to call Nagisa and ask for help.”

 

Yaku snorted again, tried to hold back his amusement, and then dissolved into a lump of tears and laughter.

 

“You’re screwed,” Yaku wheezed.  “You’re never going to get rid of him if you have to actually ask him for help.  You realize this right?”  Yaku rolled onto his back and stared up at Keiji from the floor.  “You call him for help and you two are going to have to seal the contract and he’s yours for life.”

 

Keiji glared down at him and groaned.  “I realize this.  I am not actually that dumb.”

 

“Yet you ripped a hole in the universe.”

 

“That wasn’t necessarily dumb.  That was more… curiosity to see if I could actually do it.”

 

“And giving it to, what’s his name?  What was that?”

 

“Well if I bake cookies I don’t keep them all for myself.”

 

Yaku finally stopped laughing and just stared at Keiji.  

 

“You just likened ripping a hole in the universe to baking cookies?  You know what?  I was going to let you call Nagisa in peace.  But now I want a front row seat to this action.”  Yaku hopped up onto the table and nudged the phone towards Keiji.  “Let’s get going.  You don’t want to upset Sugawara now do you?”

 

Keiji groaned.

 

“So.  My choices are upsetting Suga and therefore the entirety of the crows.  Or finally sealing Nagisa’s contract.  I’m kind of screwed either way.”

 

“Yeah.”  Kuroo suddenly slunk out of the hallway into the kitchen.  “But if you seal Nagisa’s contract then you’ll make Suga happy and eventually get screwed in the good way.  Cause you’ll get Sawamura.”

 

“Oh,” Yaku crooned.  “I didn’t think of that.”  He grabbed Keiji’s phone and tossed it at him.  “Do it.  Call Nagisa.  Seal the contract.  Get your man.”

 

“He is not my man.  I don’t-”

 

“But you want him to be,” Kuroo interrupted.  “You have a big fat fluffy crush on him and you want him to be your man and smooch him in the rain and walk hand in hand under the stars with him.”

 

“You realize that if I seal Nagisa’s contract I’m probably not going to need you around for anything right?  That he’ll help with whatever I need help with and he’s got plenty of power to boost mine?”

 

Kuroo paused for a moment and then shifted into a large cat and hopped into Keiji’s lap.

 

“But you love me and cherish me and he can’t do this for you.”  He kneaded Keiji’s legs and started purring and nuzzling at his chin.  “And I know how much you love it when I do.”

 

“Oh go to hell,” Keiji grumbled.  Yaku leaned over and tapped at Keiji’s phone screen until Nagisa’s contact info popped up.  He glanced up and when Keiji nodded he hit the call button.  And then put the call onto speaker.

 

“Keiji,” Nagisa singsonged.  “I was wondering if I’d ever hear from you again.  Twelve years is a bit extreme even for you.”

 

“Hello Nagisa.”

 

“Rei says you’re calling cause you want something.  That true?  Did you want something from me?”

 

Keiji glanced at Kuroo and Yaku and sighed.  He had really been hoping to do this without people listening in.  But he was quickly finding that lately he didn’t have much of a choice.  Or he did have a choice but one side of it involved pushing everyone out and he wasn’t so sure he wanted that anymore.

 

“Well, Nagisa.  I have a little bit of a problem.  You see I’m, uh, a little lost.”

 

Nagisa gasped softly.  “Oh.”  Keiji could just picture the look of glee and calculation on his face.  “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah.  Any chance you’re free in the next few days to help out?”

 

“For you?  Of course Keiji.”  Nagisa let out a happy sigh that Keiji felt settle in his bones.  “I’ll be there tomorrow.  Can’t wait to meet all your new friends!”

 

Keiji ended the call and dropped the phone onto the table.

 

“There now.”  Yaku patted his head.  “Was that so bad?”

 

“Today?  The answer is no.  Tomorrow?  It might be a maybe.”

 

—

 

Keiji twirled his finger and watched as a paper plane spun in lazy circles above him.  He let it circle a few more times and then directed it to dive at Kuroo who was shifted into a large cat at the moment.  Kuroo let out a mewling yawn and pried his eyes open.  Once he spotted the plane he hopped to his feet.  Keiji shot it down the hall and snorted when Kuroo took off after it.

 

“Hello?  Akaashi?”

 

He bit his lip and sighed softly.  At least just the voice didn’t have him wanting to fall at her feet.  So it was either a proximity thing or it was her laughter.  Either way he still didn’t know what Shimizu was and was starting to wonder if he really wanted to.

 

“Yes it’s me.  I was wondering if I could maybe take you up on that offer of help.  We still need shavings of gold for the spell and Suga is apparently no longer talking to me today and I know he had originally said something about asking you to help with that?  I’m not sure how but if you could help I would appreciate it.”

 

“Oh?  Suga’s not talking to you?”

 

Keiji laughed sheepishly.  “Uh.  Yeah.  Something about me being a bigger pain in the ass than Yahaba.  Whoever that is.”

 

“Oh dear.  He really is stressed out isn’t he?”

 

“I guess so.  So, uh.  Any chance you can help with the gold thing?  I know a lot of people and creatures but I have yet to run into a dragon.”

 

He drifted the plane back out of the hallway.  Kuroo stalked after it and then suddenly leapt at it when Keiji let it drift a little lower.  He flicked it back up into the air and shot it towards the front door.  Kuroo took off after it and nearly crashed into the door.  Keiji couldn’t help but shake his head.  For as much as Kuroo liked to play the human he really did fit into his cat shift the best most days.

 

“It really shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  Saeko is a sweetheart and would definitely do anything to help the family out.  And if for some reason she can’t or won’t then Ryuu would be more than willing if I asked him.  We’ll get the shavings.  How much did you need?”

 

He flicked the plane back to himself and unfolded it.  Kuroo mewled at him once for ruining his fun and then dropped onto the floor with a huff.  He stared up at Keiji with the saddest most imploring look he could muster.  Keiji ignored him.

 

“The list says at least an ounce.”  He jotted down the names Shimizu had said and then folded the paper back into a plane.  Kuroo eyed him and the plane warily, tail flicking back and forth as he watched.  After a few long moments of staring back Keiji rolled his eyes and sent the plane off again, leaving enough magic in it for it to run some avoidance maneuvers and to keep it from shredding should Kuroo actually get it.  “Is that a lot to ask of a dragon?” he asked when Shimizu didn’t respond right away.

 

“In a way.  Dragon’s are very protective of what’s theirs and asking for just a small amount could almost seem offensive.  Like you don’t really respect how much importance even the smallest fraction of their hoard is worth.  For Saeko I would suggest getting a small glass jar and asking for her to fill it.  Explain that you need at least an ounce for the spell and that you would like to keep the remainder as a reminder.”

 

“A reminder of what?”

 

“Whatever lesson you’ve learned.  Or are learning.”  Shimizu paused.  Keiji could hear the humor in her voice, could almost picture the serene smile on her face.  “You are learning a lesson right?”

 

Keiji didn’t want to lie to Shimizu.  But he didn’t know what truth would appease her.  Should he just blurt out the first thing he thought of?  Should he tell her he’d think of something when the time came?

 

Why the hell did it even matter to him that he have her, well if not her blessing at least her good will on his side?  Why did he care at all?

 

“Akaashi?”

 

“The lesson I’m learning is that apparently I’m still learning.  About a lot of things.”

 

Shimizu laughed and his heart did not skip a beat at the sound.

 

“That’s a good a lesson as any I suppose.”


	11. Chapter 11

The thing Keiji had discovered years ago about spells, and life in general but that’s a completely different story, is that things go wrong.  Often faster and in more bizarre ways than you would imagine possible.  So he had pretty low expectations that this spell to put the hole back where it belonged was going to run smoothly.  Especially with Nagisa at his side.

 

He loved Nagisa -  as much as any normal person can love a heart stealing demon they haven’t seen in twelve years anyway - but the guy was a magnet for trouble.  And complications.  And delays.  And any number of other words that basically make getting from point A to point B a twelve hour, seventy-three step process instead of a five minute walk.  Which is exactly why the thought of introducing him to Makki and Mattsun made Keiji want to curl into a ball and find a nice hole to hide inside.  

 

He still had time.  Nagisa’s train wouldn’t be in for another ten minutes.  Keiji wasn’t supposed to be back at his house for a few more hours.  He could still just make a break for it and run away to Sweden.  He’d miss Daichi, he could admit that to himself now.  But he’d be safe enough from Suga’s wrath and the Chaos Twins and sealing Nagisa’s contract.  Surely they wouldn’t all follow him that far.

 

“Keiji!”  Nagisa bounded across the station and leapt at him, bags hitting the ground at Keiji’s feet.  Keiji caught him easily enough, barely staggering under Nagisa’s weight, and couldn’t quite keep the smile off his face when Nagisa wriggled so he could wrap his legs around Keiji’s waist and prop his arms over Keiji’s shoulders, fingers tapping against whatever part of Keiji they could reach.  “Hi you.”  Nagisa was beaming down at him.

 

“Hi yourself.  Did you even take the train?”  He raised his eyebrows at Nagisa’s grin.  The announcement for the arrival of the next train, which was in five minutes, blared overhead as if to back up his statement.  “Or was that just an excuse to make me come get you?”

 

Nagisa’s smile never wavered.  He just hugged Keiji tighter and curled down to bury his face in Keiji’s neck.

 

“I missed you,” was Nagisa’s only reply.  Keiji felt his heart clench, felt Nagisa’s magic wrapping around him, felt the pull in his bones of Nagisa’s question, of his contract.

 

As cliche as it was, it was now or never.  It was time for Keiji to stop running away.  From his powers and his past and his future and, if he wanted to get all weighty and philosophical, his destiny.

 

“I’m sorry.  I missed you too,” he admitted softly.  “Tell me Nagisa.  Are you still mine?”  Nagisa went still in his arms then took a deep breath and shivered, blanks in the contract filling in as Keiji spoke.  “Will you stay mine?”  His voice dropped, barely above a whisper.  “Can I keep you?”  

 

Nagisa’s magic answered for him, sinking into Keiji’s skin and anchoring in his soul.  It weaved through his muscles and marrow, wrapped a shield around his heart, twisted and twined and danced around Keiji’s own magic.  Nagisa sighed quietly and sagged against Keiji.

 

“Thank you,” Nagisa whispered.

 

Keiji squatted down and grabbed Nagisa’s bags, letting Nagisa stay wrapped around his torso like a koala.  “Let’s get home.  Kuroo and Yaku are sure to be there and you can meet the others in a couple hours.”

 

—

 

Of all the things he was most unsure about with this whole spell it was the idea of having so many people crammed into his house, of having so many components and potentials for disaster milling about, that worried him the most.  Even more than Nagisa meeting Mattsun.  Even more than the look on Suga’s face when he dropped all of the ingredients on Keiji’s table.  Even more than the calculating look Hajime gave him - because of course he was here to make sure Keiji put the hole back where it belonged - when he spotted Nagisa and obviously sensed the outline of the contract between them.

 

“You,” Hajime told Keiji in a quiet and tired voice, “are going to wind up being almost as much trouble as Oikawa aren’t you?”

 

Keiji glanced at him before turning his attention back to sorting out the ingredients into a way that made sense to him.

 

“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about,” he answered politely.  “I would never intentionally cause you undue distress.”

 

Hajime stared at him, blinking slowly, and Keiji kept sorting ingredients.  Hajime’s stare was unnerving but if Keiji could ignore Kuroo’s cat eyed pout when he wanted Keiji to buy him expensive mackerel then he could withstand Hajime’s interrogation stare.

 

“And unintentionally?”

 

Keiji shrugged.  “Accidents happen in magic sometimes.”

 

“Accidents.”  Hajime snorted.  “Like ripping a hole in the universe?  Why did you even agree anyway?  I mean I know you don’t really ask questions so long as the people bring you the spell and the ingredients.  But you’re not really that stupid, despite the way the current events make it look.”

 

“I was curious to see if I could do it,” Keiji admitted.  “Especially without Kuroo’s magic boosting mine.”

 

“Mattsun said you didn’t even take much of his power from the sacrifice.  Maybe a third of it.  Did you know you had that much in you?”

 

Keiji smiled sadly.  There were a lot of things he knew about himself but didn’t want to admit.  It was a learning process to accept them.

 

“I had an idea, yes.”

 

Hajime let it go at that and helped Keiji sort the ingredients and carry them to the office at the end of the hallway.  Makki and Mattsun were already sprawled on the floor, floating balls of color and light back and forth between each other, and Nagisa was watching them, sitting on the short filing cabinet Keiji stored scrolls and scraps of spells in when they were left with him.  Keiji could hear the others in his living room.  Suga and Daichi were arguing playfully about something.  Kuroo was laughing and Keiji felt the telltale magic tug in the air as Kuroo shifted into something and then there were people running around the room.  He knew Shimizu and the Tanaka siblings would be here soon.  His house was filled with crows and he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that.

 

He also wasn’t entirely sure he minded nearly as much as he would have a month ago.  It was a little unnerving just how easily priorities and worries could change when the right - or wrong - people were in his life.

 

Nagisa kicked the cabinet with his heel to catch Keiji’s attention.  He smiled contently when he got it and Keiji nodded at him.  It was almost time to put things back where they belonged.  He hoped that once this was over that the others would still want to see him, that maybe he would belong with them.

 

His fingers started trembling while the rest of him froze.

 

He wanted to see them all after this.  Wanted them to want to see him.  Wanted to visit them and spend time with them.  He wanted to see what kinds of things Kageyama could do with the right training.  Wanted to see Haiba’s skills grow.  Wanted to see Hinata in a few years pestering the fuck out of Kuroo.  He wanted and wanted and  _ wanted _ and it scared him.  The last time he had wanted something so badly it had nearly killed him.

 

Nagisa sucked in a breath and the room froze.  Hajime stopped mid-sentence and mid-step behind him.  Makki and Mattsun stilled, their lights hanging in the air, softly glowing in the early afternoon sunshine.  Keiji could feel every ounce of magic and will and intent and concentration in the room shifting and sliding and twisting in the motionless air as he struggled to breathe.  

 

Nagisa slipped over and looked down at him - when had he even dropped to the ground and pulled his knees to his chest?  Nagisa settled a hand on his head and then Keiji was nine and surrounded by trees tall enough to touch the sky and shadows that wanted to steal his soul and enough magic in the air to suffocate a bull and he was just a small witch who had wanted far too much and gotten so very lost because of it.

 

Nagisa’s touch was familiar even when it wasn’t and Keiji could hear his voice doubling; the higher trill of young Nagisa in the woods and the slightly lower pitch of present Nagisa.  Both captivating to Keiji.  Both comforting.  Both forming words he couldn’t fully hear but understood anyway.  Both promising, promising, promising things that Keiji knew were too good to be true.  Too good for him to keep forever.

 

Nagisa’s hand slid down and he pressed his thumb against Keiji’s collarbone.  The sharp pressure grounded him and after a few moments Keiji managed to gasp.  The trees vanished and the frozen world of his office slid back into focus around them and Keiji sank forward against whatever of Nagisa he could reach.  He dropped his knees and Nagisa stepped forward so Keiji could rest his forehead against Nagisa’s thigh.

 

“Do you remember?” Nagisa asked quietly.  “That day?”  Keiji nodded.  “You called me.  You summoned me with nothing but your sheer will power.  No circles, no scrolls, no carefully worded spells meant to trip me up.  No tricks or traps.  Nothing but you and me.  You were scared and wanted someone with you.”  He stepped back and Keiji’s heart leapt into his throat but Nagisa only crouched down so he and Keiji were face to face.  Nagisa’s eyes were wide and guileless.  “It’s okay to want, Keiji.  And it’s okay to try to get what you want.”

 

Nagisa watched him for a moment and then leaned in close so their foreheads were touching.  “Tell you a truth?  I wanted it to be someone like you.  When I found out what I was, what I could do, what I was meant to do.  Found out the kind of things that people would want to use me for.  I wanted the first heart I stole to be a good one.  I wanted it to be someone I could trust.  Because, and this is the real secret so don’t tell anyone I told you okay?  I could get in serious trouble.”  He waited until Keiji nodded to continue.  “I wanted it to be someone I could trust because the first heart I stole?  I had to let them have mine in return.  I had to trust them to keep it safe.  And I knew the moment I appeared next to you and you looked at me.  I knew that I could trust you.  Because all you wanted was me.  Not what I could do or what I had the potential to become.  You just wanted so badly to have someone at your side you wouldn’t lose.  So you got me.”

 

Keiji’s eyes widened as the weight of Nagisa’s confession sank in.  All these years.  All this time.  He knew he’d had Nagisa’s trust.  Knew Nagisa cared about him.  But he had never fully grasped the depth of what he had done as a child.  What he had asked for and had been given.  Having a demon’s trust was one thing.  But having their heart?  Keiji swallowed hard.  Just the idea was mind blowing.

 

“I’m sorry,” Keiji whispered, body tense, when he finally managed to make his mouth work.  “I just.  I did that and then I was the one who left you.”

 

Nagisa’s laughter made his shoulders loosen.  “Oh Keiji.  It’s okay.  I knew what I was getting into.  I knew you wouldn’t understand.  We were children and you knew very little about demons.  I understood that I would have to wait.  It didn’t stop me from stealing hearts and making deals here and there in the meantime.”

 

“But the contract?”

 

“Yes it was uncomfortable to have the unsealed contract twisted up in my magic.  But I worked around it.  Kind of like when you have a cast on.  You learn to make things work and before long you don’t really notice it unless your attention is drawn to it.  It’s okay.  I forgave you for leaving like two days after you left.  But I should warn you.  Now that it’s been sealed and signed and made official you’re not getting away from me.  You try to leave me again and I will find you.”

 

Keiji couldn’t help but smile at Nagisa’s serious tone.  “If I try to leave again you have my permission to chain me to the kitchen table until I come back to my senses.”

 

“Good.  Now should we put time back and get on with this hole in the universe thing?  And don’t think we’re not going to talk about you getting to do all the fun stuff without me around just because you want to see what happens.”

 

It felt like weights he hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying were falling from him, unchaining his magic and opening paths he’d never been able to consider before.

 

“Let’s put the hole back in the universe for now.  We can see what kind of trouble we can stir up together later.  Deal?”

 

Nagisa kissed his forehead and whispered against the skin.  “Deal.”

 

They dropped back into proper time with a soft pop.  Hajime looked from where Nagisa had been sitting to where he and Keiji were now kneeling together with narrow eyes.  He muttered something about not wanting to know any details because then he wouldn’t have to make a report and left the office.  Makki and Mattsun giggled from their spots on the floor completely unfazed at having just been paused in time.

 

—

 

In the end putting the hole back where it came from wasn’t all that difficult or disastrous.

 

Other than Makki having green hair and Nagisa’s skin turning a delicate shade of periwinkle and Suga threatening to castrate anyone who woke him up in the next forty-three hours for any reason including the end of the world and Kuroo being unable to shift out of the tiny kitten form he had taken to hide under the couch for about nine hours.  Yeah other than that it turned out fine.


	12. Chapter 12

“So,” Nagisa dragged the word out until it was nearly three sentences long.

 

“So?”  Keiji kept digging through the box of charms on the bed next to him.  There was one in here he knew would be perfect for Haiba if he could just find it in the tangle of wires and strings and lights and metal pulsing at him.

 

“So we’ve got like twelve years of secrets and gossip to catch up.  Start spilling.”

 

Keiji dug to the very bottom of the box and felt the silk ribbon of the charm he was looking for.  “What kind of secrets and gossip do you expect Nagisa?  I’ve been a hedge witch.  Solo life.  Not a lot of contact with people.”  He inched his magic out of his fingers.  It was right there and he was not going to dump out the entire box for this one charm.  “Don’t know what you expect.”

 

Nagisa rolled his eyes.

 

“I’m not dumb Keiji.  I know you’ve had tons of adventures and weird requests.  Even if I hadn’t heard things here and there.  All I had to do was ask Rei and he’d tell me what he knew.”  Nagisa flopped onto his stomach and tapped the side of the box, encouraging Keiji’s magic to do what he wanted it to.  “I just want to know what you’ve been up to.  Other than ripping holes in the universe and falling in love with crows.”

 

Keiji froze, charm wrapping around his finger, and glared at Nagisa.

 

“I am not in love with any crows.”

 

“You are falling though.  Even if you haven’t landed in love yet.  Rei told me so.  And one look at Sawamura confirmed it.”

 

Keiji was almost afraid to ask.  “Confirmed what?”

 

“That it’s mutual and I have nothing to worry about.  Because he’ll do whatever it takes to not break your heart.  Which is good cause it’s kind of my heart too.”  

 

Nagisa tilted his head and scrunched his face up.  It made Keiji want to cover it with his hand and push Nagisa off the bed.  So he did.  Unfortunately Nagisa was not going down alone and he whipped his arm out as he fell and latched onto Keiji’s wrist, sending them both thumping to the floor with a pained groan.

 

“We’re a mess Keiji.  All twisted up in each other.”

 

“Figuratively and literally,” Keiji muttered as he tried to untangle his legs from Nagisa’s.

 

“Yep.  It’s a good thing that Sawamura seems like the determined dependable sort.”  Nagisa propped his chin on Keiji’s chest.  “Are you ever at least going to see him some time soon?  It’s been forever.”

 

The hole in the universe had been repaired nearly a month ago.  After the spell had been completed and everyone checked over by Daichi they had all gone their separate ways.  Keiji and Nagisa had slept for almost three days to replenish their magic; apparently sealing a contract between a demon of Nagisa’s level and a witch of Keiji’s caliber after twelve years drained a lot out of you without you realizing it.  He’d heard that Suga slept for his full requested forty-three hours and was as good as new.  Everyone else had waltzed out as if nothing had happened.

 

And that was the last he had seen of any of them since then.  He tried to tell himself that it didn’t hurt.  That this was what he had wanted since the day that Hinata had shown up at Keiji’s front door.  He had wanted to be left alone.  To not be bothered by ridiculous questions and requests and the chattering and clashing of people in a different part of the house when he was trying to concentrate.

 

Too bad that with Nagisa here it was rather hard to lie to himself like that.

 

He had jumped at the opportunity to help when Haiba had sent him a text asking if he knew of any charms or talismans to help with his concentration because that was where it seemed like he was losing control of his spells most of the time.

 

Now he had the charm wrapped around his finger and had no idea what he was planning on doing next.  Could he just show up at the house?  Should he ask Haiba to meet him somewhere and give it to him?  It’s not like it was a secret.  Unless Haiba was keeping it a secret from the others.

 

Nagisa poked him under his chin and Keiji flinched.

 

“Stop over thinking it,” Nagisa chided him.  “I’ll come with you.  It’ll be fine.”  When Keiji didn’t move or respond Nagisa sighed and poked him again.  “What did you say Suga told you when he gave you the address?  About stopping by?”

 

“That I could stop by whenever I wanted for whatever reason and not to worry about calling first because someone would be there.  But that was when they wanted me to-”

 

“Join them,” Kuroo said from the doorway.  Keiji jolted in surprise but didn’t look at Kuroo or make a move to get up.  “Which I’m sure they still do.  They just probably know how much of a recluse you are and how overwhelming they can be so they’re giving you space after invading your house for a day.  Didn’t you say that one of them told you if you checked out their house and talked with them all a bit and decided not to join then they’d leave you alone?  You didn’t get a hold of any of them after the spell.  You didn’t even write anything scathing when Iwaizumi asked to fill in those reports and send them back to him.  So what are they doing now?”

 

Keiji finally turned his head to look at Kuroo with eyes widening in realization.  “Leaving me alone,” he whispered.

 

“Exactly.  So if you don’t actually want them to leave you alone for good you should probably get your butt off the floor and go deliver that charm to whoever you dug it out for.”

 

—

 

Keiji knocked on the door of Suga’s place with a sort of grim determination.  He wasn’t going into battle by any means but he still felt like he was.  Like this was a live or die, flight or fight situation that would change the rest of his life.  Which was a little silly because technically every decision he made had the potential to change his life.  From what time he woke up in the morning to what route he took home at night.

 

Nagisa snickered from his spot behind Keiji.  Keiji glared over his shoulder at him.

 

“Over thinking,” Nagisa singsonged.  “What happened to little Keiji who summoned me with nothing but his sheer will?  Spontaneous Keiji who wanted so badly to have someone stay at his side that he made it happen then and there?”

 

“He grew up,” Keiji replied blandly.

 

“Well in my professional opinion he needs to take the stick out of his butt and ungrow up fast,” Nagisa said in a serious tone.

 

“Is that so?”  

 

Keiji laughed at Nagisa’s pout and then froze when he heard a familiar laugh come from the door.

 

“Well,” Daichi said, amusement obvious in his voice, “I’m a medical profession and I have to say that having a stick up one’s butt is never a very good thing.  Not sure about the ungrowing up part.  But I think that’s probably not a bad thing in small doses.”  Keiji slowly turned back around and took in the sight of Daichi and his ridiculous laugh lines and chiseled chin and dumb smile and kind eyes and gentle hands.

 

“Do you want to go out with me on a date sometime?”  The words were out of his mouth before Keiji could stop them.  He wanted to be mortified, at least a little, but got distracted by the way Daichi’s eyes lit up in surprise and his smile softened and, yeah, Keiji was falling fast.

 

“I would love to.  I wasn’t sure if you’d ever ask.”  Daichi glanced over his shoulder and then dropped his voice to a whisper.  “Suga’s been giving me impatient looks for the last three days and I was pretty sure if you didn’t come over soon I’d have to come find you or risk him potentially tying me up and leaving me at your door.”

 

Keiji was about to respond when a thunderous crash came from inside the house.  Daichi winced at the feel of Haiba’s defensive magic flaring up and flooding the air and then winced again when Hinata started shouting a moment later.

 

“Need some help?”  Keiji offered.

 

“That sounds wonderful.  But I’m afraid I’m all out of vodka and KitKats.”

 

“For you I think I might be able to make an exception.”


End file.
